Monday, June 09, 2008

Burning Up The Minutes

I’ve got a home phone and my wife and I each have a cell phone. Even with all the opportunity I have to call people I rarely ever do. I have three numbers in my cell phone history and they are the only numbers I ever call.

Even when I was in my teens I never used the phone all that much. I had some daily contacts, but nothing that was too over board.

I was out at Fred Meyer the other evening. I usually go there on the same evening every week, and I see that there are regulars there every week. There is one woman I see there nearly every week and she spends every moment on the phone while she is shopping. After finishing there I saw her in Costco, again on the phone. Eventually I saw her in the car behind me waiting at the traffic light, still on the phone.

The entire excursion lasted about an hour and each time I saw her she was on the phone as she was the week before that and the week before that. What could possibly be so important that one is in constant communication? Maybe it’s insecurity. Maybe if she keeps voices in her ear they will drown out the voices in her head. Who knows?

We have an inexpensive cell plan. It’s an old plan where we have two phones and we share 100 minutes a month for, get this $35 per month. I think there was only one month where we even came close to using our 100 minutes. Maybe I’m not a communicator.

9 Comments:

Cell phones, Blackberrys - always being able to stay connected is not a good thing. For some, it's a crutch - avoidance of self.I've got to be one of the few people in the world without a cell phone - and doing very well without one, thanks.

I gave in to getting a cell phone over a year ago as you may remember. I love it, but its my only phone, my conversations on it are short and it helps me stay connected to my kids when they are at their dad's house.

Am I one of the three? Probably not anymore after that post I threw up on my blog today, eh?

We have 4 cell phones, 1 home/office phone, a Blackberry for work, a Bluetooth hands-free (because in two weeks, it's the law), 24/7 Internet and a laptop with wireless should I actually ever leave my house. I am a true addict, but everyday, the work part is programmed to shut off and I never, ever check my work email after I quit for the day.

Things I don't do: Talk on the phone when at a register (rude), answer a phone if I'm engaged in something special, have a phone on in inappropriate places, talk loudly so everyone can share the joy of my conversation in public places.

I once had a lady who had very long hair and a new bluetooth right after they came out walk up to my counter look me right in the eyes and "I thought" started to speak to me and when I started to answer her she shrieked "I AM ON THE PHONE" and pulled back said long hair to show me the tiny little phone attached to her ear. I'm still not sure why she thought I would know that hidden as it was.

Beth, good for you! Being I have one I have to admit that I always have a sense of panic every time it rings. It's rarely ever good news when my phone rings.

Yes, Auntie you are one of the three who I call and gets calls from. Yes your post was disgusting, but no so much to make me ignore your calls.

Lori, you really should start Sick Day posting on the first Monday of the month. It could become a Blog fad like Wordless Wednesdays.

Denise, People with Bluetooth are rude in other ways as well. Have you ever spoken on the phone with someone using one. It sounds like shit. I can rarely ever hear or understand what the Bluetooth users are saying.

I've got one. The only person who calls is my son - when he needs something.My wife won't have one. She likes to be off the grid as she calls it.You can call her when she at home - but if she's out, well then - she's out and you will have to call back.This system worked fine 20 years ago.

I'm not a cell phone person either. Neither am I a phone person in general. I text my children but if someone calls I prefer it be for a quick logistics reason. Catching up in person is always better for me. The people in the grocery store on the phone piss me off. Like in a car if you need to use the phone pull over out of other peoples way so they can get by you. Its rude and we're becoming ruder because of technology.

Sometimes it's good being a dinosaur. We only use our cell to call when doing errands to prevent a 2nd trip. Got it for emergencies, but the only time it would've been of use there was no service where we were. Oh well, sometimes it's good to be a technological dinosaur:)

I don't like them either, however I feel better with one when I'm in a kayak on the Columbia trying to avoid getting sucked out to sea. Also, I really never want to go back to pay phones. Remember how much they sucked?